Feed mechanism for embossing presses



Nov. 16 1926.

J. R. WHEELER FEED MECHANISM FOR EMBOSSING PRESSES Filed Mav 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 16,1926. 1,607,330

' J. R. WHEELER FEED MECHANISM FOR EMBOSSING PRESSES Nov. 16 1926.

'J. R. WHEELER FEED MECHANISM FOR EMBOSSING PRESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F'iled May 25,

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Nov; 16 1926.

J. R. WHEELER FEED MECHANISM FOR EMBOSSING PRESSES Filed MaV 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1926 1 UNiTEn stares rafters caries.

Joan E. wi rn nrinn, or was-r vitzsrro, oonnnorioo'r, Assronon '30 THE STANDARD MACHINERY 00., or MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT, A coRrofRA'r'Ioit.

FEED MECHANISM non nrtiisossrne rmissnsj Application filed May 25,

I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in

w Fig. 1, a. View in front elevation of an embossing press equipped with my improved feed-mechanism Fig. 2, a view thereof in side elevation;

Fig. 3, a broken detail view in side elevation of the two-part feed-slide and feed-cam of my improved mechanism, the parts being shown'in the positions due them'at the completion of their forward or feeding move ment; I

Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional view thereof onthe line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '5, a broken detail view inedge elevation of the feed-cam, showing the plunger in its operative position;

Fig. 6, a similar view, but showing the plunger in its retired or inoperative position;

Fig. 7 a View in elevation corresponding to Fig. 3, and showing the parts in the positions due them when the uncorqtiling-s'lide is moved forward to uncouple the two feed-bar members from each other; and

Fig. 8, a similar view showing the inner feed-bar member telescoped into the outer feed-bar members, as a result of the uncoupling action shown in Fig, 7 and the subsequent movement of the feed-cam.

My invention relates to an improvement in feed-mechanism for embossing presses which are designed to emboss various articles, such as book covers, novelties, etc. I In the production of embossed articles, such as book covers in particular, it has been found that a superior finish is obtained by subjecting the article to relatively moderate repeat actions of the embossing dies, rather than to a single severe action thereof.

The object of my invention is to produce a feed-mechanism for embossing presses which will, at the option of the operator, permit the article being fed to be subjected to either a single or double action of the embossing dies.

With this object in view, my'invention consists in a feed-mechanism for embossing resses which is synchronized with the action of the embossing dies thereof and which is characterized by its convertibility from a 1926. Serial Nb. 111,508.

single action to what I shall call a"skip action feed-mechanism, whereby the article he mg embossed may be subjected to either a single or a repeat action of the embossing dies.

In the embodiment of my invention herein shown, it is applied to an'embossing press of well-known characteristics and generally designated by the numeral 10. This emboss-v ing press comprises an upper stationary clieblock 11 carrying an upper die 12 and a ver t1callymovable die-block 13 carrying a lower die 14. The lower die-block 13 is moved toward the upper die-block 11 so as to press the article to be embossed between the upper and lower dies 12 and 14, by means of a toggle 15 operated by a drive-shaft 16, to which 1t 1s connected by an-arm 17,all in the ordinary and well-known manner of such presses. To provide for feeding the blanks 18 onto the vertically-movabledie-block 13, I provide a reciprocating feed-plate 19 which is carried by two corresponding horizontallyarranged racks 20 mounted in a verticallyadjustable table 21 upon which the pile 22 of blanks is stacked. The raeks2O are respectively meshed into by two com lenientary pinions 23 mounted on a shaft 2 having bearing in the table 21. At its outer end the shaft 24 is provided with a pinion 25meshed into by a reciprocating rack 26 formed at the forward end of an outer feed-bar member 27, which is recessed at 28 for the reception of the complementary inner feed-bar member 29. The feed-bar member 29 is provided with a slot 30 receiving a guide-stud 31 extending outward from the drive-shaft 16 aforesaid, and is provided with a roller 32 entering the groove 33 of a feed-cam 3e mounted upon and driven by the drive-shaft 16, so that the movement of the cam is synchronized with the toggle mechanism.

Normally, the feed-bar members 27 and 29 are coupled together to act as aunit by means of two wedge-shaped latches 35 entering notches 36 in the inner feed -bar member 29 and urged thereinto by latch-springs 37 which, together with the latches 85, are mounted in ofl-setting recesses 38 formed in the outer feed-bar member 27. When the latches are entered into the notches 86, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the two feedbar members 27 and 29 will be reciprocated as a unit by the cam 34; and will, through the medium of the rack 26, pinion 25, shaft 24, and pinions 23, cause the feed-racks 20, and hence the feed-plate 19, to be reciproeated once for every revolution of the driveshaft 16, and hence once for every embossing action of the dies 12 and 14. To provide for uncoupling the feed-bars 27 and 29 from each other, so that the feed-plate 19 Will remain idle for one revolution of the drive-shaft 16 and thus permit a blank to remain between the embossing dies 12 and 14 during two complete embossing actions thereof, 1 provide the feed-bar 29 with a recess 39 in its outer face for the reception of an uncouplin -slide. 40 having inclined latch-engaging faces 41 at its forward end and a roller 42 at its rear end. The slide 40 is normally urged to its rearward or retired position, in which its roll 42 engages with a two-pointed unlatching cam 43 bymeans of a spring 44. The two-pointed cam is rigidly attached to the outer end of ashort shaft 45 extending transversely through the feedbar member 29 and which, at its opposite end, is provided with a four-pointed star-wheel 46, which latter is adapted to be engaged by a plunger 47 carried in an arm 48 off-setting from the cam The plunger 4'? aforesaid is normally maintained in its extended position in which it is adapted to engage one of the points of the star-wheel 46 during each revolution of the feed-cam 34 by means of a spring 49 encircling its stem 50, which at its inner end is provided with a fingerbutton 51 by means of which it may e retracted into its inoperative position. To provide for holding the plunger 47 in its retired position against the counter-urge of its spring 49, the plunger-stem is provided with a transverse pin 52 which normally is entered into a clearance-slot 53 formed in the rear face of the arm 48, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, but which may be engaged with the extreme rear face of the arm by drawing it inward and imparting to it a quarter-turn, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

To provide for the vertical adjustment of the table 21, the same is mounted on opposite ends on brackets 54, each of which is provided on its outer face with lugs 55 and 56 adapted to receive a feed-screw 57 which is threaded into the lower lug 56, so as to raise and lower the table when it is rotated. Each feed-screw 5'? is provided its lower end with a spiral pinion 58 meshing into one of two spiral pinions 59 mounted upon a transverse shaft 60. The shaft 60 serves to insure the uniform concurrent adjustment of both ends of the table 21.

Having fully described the nature of my invention, 1 shall now proceed to describe its operation. Vi ith the parts in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 1, the two-feed-bar members 27 and 29 are coupled together by means of the coupling-latches 35 for movement as a unit, and the subsequent half-rotation of the drive-shaft 16 will move them forward to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the effect of moving the feed-plate 19 inward, and pushing another blank 18 over the die 14. The next halfrevolution of the cam will effect the retirement of the feed-slide, during which move ment the blank will be acted upon by the dies 12 and 14. A

Near the conclusion of the full revolution of the feed-cam as just described, the plunger 47 will engage with one of the points of the star-wheel 46 and impart to it a quarter-revolution, whereby the unlatching-cam 43 is likewise given a quarter-turn with the effect ofmoving the unlatchingslide 40 forward into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, whereby its faces 41 will retract the latches 35 from the couplingnotches 36, so that the subsequent forward movement of the feed-bar member 29 will be an idle one, as shown in Fig. 8, and will not impart movement to the feed-bar member 27, with the result that the blank already positioned between'the dies 12 and 14 will not be moved therefrom and replaced by another blank, but will be subjected to the additional, or second, die action. Near the conclusion of this second revolution of the feed-cam 34,,the plunger 4'? will again engage the star-wheel 46 and impart to it, as well as to the unlatching-cam 43, another quarter-turn, thereby permitting the re ire ment of the uncoupling-slide 40 under the urge of its spring 44, and'the consequent reentrance of the latches 35 into the coupling-notches .36, whereby the feed-bar members 27 and 29 will again be coupled for unitary movement. So long as the plunger 47 is in its extended position, this cycle of alternate idle and feeding actions of the feed-cam 34 willtake place. If, how ever, the plunger 4'? is retracted into this position, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, it will fail to engage the star-wheel, and the two feed-bar members 27 and 29 may remain coupled, so as to producea feeding movement of the feed-slide 19 for every revolution of the drive-shaft 16, and hence for every action of the dies 12 and 14, whereby the blanks are each subjected to but one embossing action.

It will thus be seen that by my invention a blank to be embossed may, at the option of the operator, be subjected to either a single or a double action of the embossing press.

I claim: 7

1. A feed-mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating member; a blank-feeding member; connections be tween said actuating member and blankfeeding member, including two relativelymovable parts; and means for automatically coupling and uncoupling the said parts in said actuating member and blank-feeding member, including vtwo relatively-movable parts; coupling means adapted to couple said parts together; and manually settable coupling control-means having active and retired positions, whereby the blank-teedingmember may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating member or operated during each movement of said actuating member.

3. A teed-mechanism tor embossing presses, comprising an actuating member; a blank-feeding member; connections be tween said actuating member and blank,- feeding member, including two relativelymovable reciprocating bars; latches for cou- 'pling said bars together; a latch-operating member for retirlng said latches for uncouplingsaid bars; and means driven by the said actuating member for periodically mov- P ing said latch-operating member, whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating member. 7

4. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating member; a blank-feeding member; connections between said actuating member and blankteeding member, including two relativelytelescoping reciprocating parts; latches for coupling the said parts together; a latch-operating member for retiring said latches tor uncoupling the said telescoping parts; and means driven by the said actuating member for periodically moving said latch-operating member,whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperativev during one movement of the actuating member. v

5. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating member; a blank-feeding member; connections'between said actuating member and blankteeding member, including ,two relativelymovable reciprocating parts; latches carried by one of the said reciprocating parts for coupling said parts together; a latch-operating member also carried by one of the said reciprocating parts for retiring said latches for uncoupling said parts; and means driven by the said actuating member for periodically moving said latch-operating member, whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement 01 the actuating member. 7

6. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising "an actuating cam; a

blank-feeding: member; connections between said actuating cam and blank-teedlng member, including two relatively-movable parts;

latches for coupling said parts together; a

latch-operating member carried by one of the said parts for retiring said latches tor uncoupling the said parts; and a latch-retract 1ng cam co-acting with the said latch-oneratim member and itself operated to effect the movement of the I latcheoperating member by the said actuatmg cam, whereby theblank-teedmg member :may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement otithe actuating cam.

71A teed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating cam; a blank-feeding member; connections between said actuating cam and the blank-feeding member, including two relatively-movable reciprocating bars, one of which is connected to the said actuating member and the other of which is connected to said blankteeding member; latches for coupling the said bars together; and a latch-operating member actuated by the said cam for retiring said latches for. uncoupling the said bars, whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating cam.

8. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating cam; a blank-feeding member; connections between said actuating cam andthe blank-feeding member, including inner and outer relatively-movable reciprocating bars, the former of which is connected to the said actuating cam and the latter to the said blankteed nfg member; latches carried by the outer bar for coupling the said bars together; and a latch-operating member carried by the inner bar for retiring the said latches for uncoupling the said bars, whereby the blankteeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating cam.

9. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating cam; a blank-feeding member; connections between the said actuating cam and blank-feeding mechanism, including two relatively-movable parts; latches adapted to couple said parts together; a latch-operating member carried by one of the said parts for retiring the said latches for uncoupling the said relatively-movable parts; a latch-retracting cam co-acting with said latch-operating member; a star-wheel for driving said latchretracting cam; and a retractable plunger carried by said actuating cam and adapted to'engage the saidstar-wheel, whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating cam.

10. A feed mechanism for embossing relatively-movable presses, comprising an actuating member; a

' blank-feeding member; connections between said actuating member and blank-feeding member, including two relatively-movable parts; means for coupling said parts together; and an intermittently-movable mechanism for intermittentlydisengaging the said coupling means, whereby the blankfeeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating member.

11. A feed mechanism for embossing presses, comprising an actuating member; a blank-feeding member; connections between said actuating member, and blank-feeding member, including two relatively-movable parts; and meansfor automatically. causing one of the said parts to move independent of the other part during one cycle of the said actuating member and to move together during another cycle of the said actuating member, whereby the blank-feeding member may be automatically rendered inoperative during one movement of the actuating member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed, this specification. I

JOHN RWHEELER. 

